Loading docks include dock levelers that are used to provide a hinged ramp such as a dock board to accommodate varying distances in height between a loading dock and a vehicle from which cargo is to be loaded or unloaded. Conventionally, mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic dock leveler systems are used to pivot the ramp to accommodate the varying distances. For example, a conventional pneumatic dock leveler uses an inflatable member or airbag to raise and lower the ramp. Such dock leveler systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,393, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
While the use of pneumatic components in loading dock systems has simplified maintenance and operational requirements in loading dock systems, the pneumatic components still often require maintenance that can result in costly downtime of the loading docks. For example, conventional pneumatic loading dock levelers include a blower and an inflatable member such as an airbag, both of which are typically located beneath the hinged ramp of the dock leveler. Maintenance of the components is difficult because accessing the “hidden” components often requires removal of the hinged ramp, which results in “downtime” of the dock leveler.